Travel and Resorts

Luxury homes in New Zealand’s most idyllic locales offer those with a lot of discretionary income to experience a slice of Kiwi heaven. They attract both famous (from Justin Bieber to Lady Gaga) to more low-profile visitors. What all of the guests have in common is the wish to rest and relax in luxurious comfort on their vacation.

Southern Paradise

Justin Bieber and Katy Perry have both taken time out from their schedules (not together) to soak up the southern splendour of Queenstown at Lodge at The Hills. Located in The Hills golf course – and owned by Kiwi jewellery king Sir Michael Hill – this spot is worthy of such high-profile guests. The six-suite estate includes an art studio, music and media room, and a wine cellar dining room. It boasts a heated infinity pool, spa pool, sauna, private golf course and outdoor fireplace. Sound good? It should – the high-season rate is $32,250 NZD (approx. $28,150 Cdn) per night.

One of New Zealand’s most beloved tourism experiences, the iconic TranzAlpine train journey is celebrating 30 years of operation. Named one of the most scenic train rides in the world by international publications such as National Geographic Traveler magazine, the TranzAlpine is one of New Zealand’s three great rail journeys operated by KiwiRail.

David Powell spent a week on the luxury hotel barge L’Impressionniste cruising through Burgundy. The Burgundy canal is one of the most attractive canals in France, winding its way through the heart of renowned vineyards, medieval towns, elegant chateaux, magnificent cathedrals, picturesque villages and wonderful local markets.

Monday mornings don’t get much better than this. I’ve had a lovely breakfast, the sun is shining and our luxury barge is about to set sail. There are 48 locks to navigate during our week on L’Impressionniste and I’m looking forward to every one!

Cape Foulwind Walkway
Get your hiking shoes on. New Zealand’s profile as a walking and hiking destination has been amplified with two new networks of walking tracks known as short walks and day hikes. Alongside New Zealand’s highly popular Great Walks network of nine multi-day trails (soon to become 10), these 14 short walks and 5 day hikes provide a great new (and complementary) offering for walkers looking for shorter, more manageable experiences.

With the holidays quickly approaching, readers don’t need to conquer the crowds to treat themselves with the season’s hottest deals—these 15 properties, from Mexico and China to Florida, Texas and West Virginia, invite travellers to celebrate Black Friday andCyber Monday with exclusiveoffers, creating up to 50 percent savings.

A lone tree that grew from a fence post in the South Island of New Zealand has become an unlikely and incredibly popular social media sensation. The straggly crack willow tree on the shores of Lake Wanaka is thought to be at least 80 years old. Recently, this tree has stepped into a global spotlight and become a social media star – with some staying power. Known as #thatwanakatree, it is attracting both professional and amateur photographers from around the world, looking for that perfect shot of the tree – that often looks like it is growing right out of the lake.

Thomas Edison and Henry Ford met in 1896 at a convention when Ford was working as chief engineer at the Detroit Edison Illuminating Company. “Sixteen years later the two men would meet again to discuss using Edison’s storage battery for the Model T.”

Edison invited Ford and his family to go camping in the Everglades in 1914; it was the first time Ford visited Fort Myers. He was so enchanted with the area that he purchased three acres of riverfront property adjacent to his friend’s estate and a Craftsman-style bungalow, The Mangoes, for $20,000, which he sold in 1945 for the same price.

The two industrialist friends spent many winters exploring Florida, relaxing, bird watching (one of Clara and Henry’s favorite activities), fishing, and planning business strategies, new inventions, and innovations. Their lengthy discussions and planning yielded products and innovations that would change the world.

What do oysters, bicycles, helicopters and foraging for local ingredients have to do with wine? So much! While visitors and locals alike can expect great wine in New Zealand, the new, experiential offerings below – which range from luxury to affordable – provide an exceptional opportunity for wine lovers, of all budgets.

My early memories of New Zealand from when I was quite little are of a magical, kind-of mystical place. I’ve been so fortunate to return, thanks to my career, and every time I come back, the more I discover and my love for this place just grows deeper.

To truly experience New Zealand, you have to get out: first, to meet the people and feel the vibe; then, to get off the beaten track to immerse yourself in the landscape. It’s about the same size as California but there’s this extraordinary variety from one place to another.

With the holidays quickly approaching, and paychecks quickly disappearing, wanted to share Lighthouse Pointe at Grand Lucayan’s “Bahama Beach Holiday” offer – created to make giving the gift of travel easy and affordable. With savings up to 35 percent, one might just be tempted to “gift a getaway” to themselves, as well as someone else.

The walking time on the trail is approximately 90 minutes in total (at an average pace) and can be completed in 3.5 hours, including tasting stops. At three of the tasting rooms, there are lunch platters available – or you have the option of bringing your own picnic and finding a scenic spot. As well as tasting Central Otago’s famous pinot noir, wine selections include pinot gris, rosé, Chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, gewürztraminer, riesling, sparkling and dessert-style wines and port. For those who prefer hops over grapes, there is a beer option at one of the tasting rooms.

The 4 Barrels Walking Wine Trail is free. The only costs that may be incurred are wine-tasting fees, as well as optional food purchases.

Wild, wet and 450 metres high – Wildwire Wanaka’s Lord of the Rungs is the world’s highest via ferrata waterfall climb and New Zealand’s newest adventure thrill. It opened in September.

Alongside the spectacular Twin Falls shooting down a sheer rocky hillside, near the South Island alpine resort town of Wanaka, the via ferrata system of rungs and cables rises a near perpendicular 450m above the valley floor, taking climbers on a six to seven-hour adventure that ends with a heli flight descent.

Tehidy is a small village in Cornwall, near Portreath, St Ives and the coast. It is a magnificent part of the world and a memorable family holiday awaits you at Tehidy Holiday Park.

“I have ploughed everything I have made back into the holiday park,” explains director Richard Barnes, who purchased the five-acre site 10 years ago and runs it with his family. “It was pretty run down then and I set about updating it, even adding tarmac roads.” We speak during the height of the holiday season when he has 350 guests staying on site: camping, static caravans and in his selection of self-catering holiday cottages. “We keep being asked for larger cottages so we are renovating another one at the moment which will have all the bells and whistles.”

As you may know, the Frida Kahlo Museum recently opened its second location in the world on Playa del Carmen’s bustling Fifth Avenue. To celebrate, Mahekal Beach Resort crafted an experiential “Artisanal Escape” for culturally-minded travelers looking to awaken their creative spirit - available now and starting at $460/night.

For a glimpse into the brilliant mind of one of Mexico’s most iconic artists, guests enjoy a self-guided walking tour Fifth Avenue, complete with an exploration guide outlining must-see stops, ending at the Frida Kahlo Riviera Maya Museum where VIP passes await. Enthusiasts return to Mahekal to discover their artistic talents through a hands-on painting lesson at the Artisan Palapa with a local master of her craft before indulging in an interactive culinary adventure at the Mayan Culinary Casita.

With summer officially upon us, we wanted to reach out to share this amazing staycation as the world’s largest Marriott - Orlando World Center Marriott - invites friends and families to stop squandering vacation days and live it up with a “Slide Through Summer” escape. This amenity filled, all-inclusive two-night stay starts at $1,200 for travel now – Sept. 4, 2017, and includes two connecting guest rooms along with premium perks and endless options for entertainment for guests of all ages.

If you are planning a visit to the UK then Snowdonia in North Wales should be on your radar!

I recently visited Snowdonia to experience some of the many attractions this amazing area has to offer.

Here are just a few of the attractions I visited on my recent trip …

Covering approximately 840 square miles, the Snowdonia National Park is truly an area of outstanding natural beauty. There are unsurpassed views with Snowdon itself peaking at 1085 metres, mountain railways, historic castles galore, pretty coastal towns to explore, wonderfully restored steam trains, woodland parks and Snowdonia’s slate heritage. For the more adventurous there are pursuits such as rock climbing, hiking and mountain biking.

It’s the warm, laidback nature of Kiwis – above everything else - that made me fall in love with this beautiful place. If you want to truly experience New Zealand, you’ve got to put yourself in their shoes and embrace the Kiwi lifestyle.

Start with a good coffee
Coffee isn’t just a morning pick-me-up in New Zealand; it’s a way of life. Wellington is New Zealand’s coffee capital and my personal coffee heaven.

July 22 is National Hammock Day and Mahekal Beach Resort is celebrating all month long! To slow things down a bit and keep with the spirit of “hammocking,” Mahekal is offering a “Swing in the Sun” escape - starting at $200/night and providing travelers with 30% savings along with breakfast and lunch or dinner daily, a round of signature cocktails per person/per day, $150 bonus credit for 6+ nights, early check-in and late checkout.

Unlike other high-rise or corridor accommodations in the area, hand-laid, hidden stone pathways lead guests to their private, palapa-style bungalow touting crochet hammocks swaying from the open-air terraces. Kick back and relax (cold margarita in hand, of course) with unparalleled views of the Riviera Maya jungle or Playa del Carmen’s longest stretch of beach.

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